We'reeee Baaaack!

Avenue Q is much praised and awarded Musical which has run both on and off Broadway for several seasons. It features puppets and 'real' characters who together explore the dilemma a recent college graduate faces after graduation. Avenue Q was composed by college graduates (so people do actually graduate.) In honor of your return after a much too short winter break here is one of the songs performed by the original cast, I Wish I Could Go Back To College.

The link is here

Summer Dreams

Planning is a useful habit and Planet College is a useful place to develop that habit. By now it is obvious that not everything can be planned but somethings can. Knee deep in snow does not lend itself to planning for summer. Dreaming of Summer yes, planning, not so much. But. Summer is coming and some preparation now could be useful then. The opportunities of Summer are pretty well established. More hours at work, another job. Summer school class, an internship. They will be there. Which will there be for you?

Right now, one step toward a productive summer plan could be check out internships on line, the ones that start in June. The pre-req you've been meaning to take but haven't been able to fit in to your schedule, find out if it will be offered this summer. Departments often have their schedules set for Summer by now.

If you will be going back home this Summer do you have a job lined up? If you don't, you can start looking now. Snow does promote Summer Dreams, but it is your actions that make them come true. Summer is coming, act now.

Tell it to Janus

Right now Resolutions are evaporating as quickly as they were made. Resolutions, the New Year's kind, fade promptly but resolve lasts. With that in mind a brief look at a common college course might prove inspiring.

If you haven't taken Intro to Mythology yet here's a quick overview. Western Civilization is permeated with references to ancient gods, goddesses, demi-gods, semi-gods, deities and entities. For example the days of the week contain the names of Norse and Roman gods and the months of the year still retain a few other Roman gods' names, most notably Mars, March and Janus, January. In ancient times Janus was the go-to Deity for beginnings. Hence the first month of the year remains named in honor of him. Janus is pictured as having two faces, one looking back and one looking forward. In that distant past Roman believers seeking a blessing for an undertaking went to the temple of Janus. For an offering they obtained a key to the locked temple door from the priest. The key opened the entryway. Upon entering the seeker walked to the statue of Janus and made their entreaty. They then walked to the rear door of the temple and using the same key they unlocked that door and made their exit.

There are two significant points in this simple tale. First, Janus has two faces, watching the past as well as the future. Second, the same key opened the exit as well as the entrance. From these symbolic facts we can conclude a simple and profound lesson. The past is the key to the future. Your past is the key to your future. During this month of Janus, with a fresh start at hand, it seems wise to pause and reflect. A look at your past will tell what has been. A brief glance, no need to linger, should suffice. Has what you've been doing helped you toward your goal? For an Average Student on Planet College, for the most part yes, but, in some ways, no. You can probably sort out quickly what has worked and what hasn't.

This quick survey of your past is the key to your future.

Happy New Year From Planet College.

Pressing Ever Onward Toward Inevitible Victory.

The Planet College experience has been an international experience since college itself was devised. Exposure to cultures from around the world is one advantage, one of many, that higher education affords students.

To this end Planet College would like to present a virtual mainstay of Japanese student life. In that culture there is a head band evolved from traditional warrior apparel , a sort of Samurai doo-rag,which is often worn by students in that country when attempting a particularly difficult or important test. Those familiar with Japanese student life understand why this means that Japanese students wear these headbands, known as 'hachimaki' , nearly all the time. These types of headbands are always adorned with slogans, usually in Kanji*, like "Pressing Onward Toward Inevitable Victory". As you can see from the link the particular version displayed have a dot centrally displayed. This dot is a Japanese symbol meaning home of the Sun. ( Did you know the Sun is from Japan?) Like 'team wear' in the USA it, no doubt, has the value of promoting an indomitable attitude and solidarity with others so adorned.

If you don't feel like shelling out the bucks for one of the hachimaki in the example it should be pretty obvious you can fashion your own. All that is necessary is a clean, white handkerchief, extra large in your case, and a quick trip by the shop where that guy did your last tattoo. Those guys always know Kanji,and, if he's still in business, he can ink whatever slogan you prefer. About the dot, well, why not try your schools mascot or logo or something. But something simple. There you go. Now you are ready for your next big test, just like an old school samurai, pressing ever onward toward your own inevitable victory.

*Kanji is the Japanese written system of Chinese characters.

Don't Ask. It's a guy thing.

Gender equality has made progress in the last few decades. But there may be one area where gender equity may never be achieved. That is in asking for help. Or asking for anything for that matter.

You've probably observed this to some degree in your own life not just on Planet College. You're at the wheel, pressing through the night, driving with some female, your girlfriend or someone else's. From the passenger seat a soft voice caresses your ears. "Do you have any idea where we are?" Being a guy you say, "Sure." Whether you do or not. Your passenger remains unconvinced and suggests politely, "Why don't we stop and ask?"

No chance. Guys just don't do that.

And there is a sound biological basis for this behavior. Males, men, guys, us, are supposed to be in charge. In fact we are wired to be. We make a decision and move straight ahead, no questions asked. Females are genetically predisposed to be curious, to ask. You've probably noticed this in class. When an instructor says, "Are there any questions?" You reply silently,"Not on your life." "Besides", you think, "If no body asks any questions maybe he'll let us out early". Then from across the classroom a soft voice caresses every one's ears. " What I want to know is . . . " or " What if . . . " Or. Well, a question from a female, coed, girl, the opposite sex, one of those. While in the short term this may cause class to go on too long, at least for your schedule, asking isn't such a bad thing.

Try it. Next time you don't know something (and for most guys this is very tough to admit.) even in class. Ask. Just ask.

Who knows you might learn something. And after all this is what Planet College is for.

But wait there's still more.

Brian Armstrong is a college graduate who has some observations about college, learning and life which he has developed since graduation. You can read them here. Planet College does not disagree with Brian's over all conclusion which is specifically much of what is required on Planet College isn't useful back on Planet Earth. Essential skills such as personal finance and meeting people are not taught at all in most school systems. True enough and regrettable to say the least. Still, Planet College maintains that your higher education experience does have enduring value for average students. Among the most valuable are the friends you've made and are making through your school experience. Additionally the skills you develop negotiating the daily maze of school while working toward your degree will be permanently useful for you. Brian notes that the content of most courses is useful only for passing that course. Undeniably accurate however acquiring the content in a demonstrable manner means that your learning skills are expanded. When you have to learn something that you really will be applying you know you can do it. Finally Brian's thoughts are clearly presented in a useful manner. Brian probably learned how to do this in college. So If you choose to read and consider Brian's work remember it was written by a college graduate.

Let's Go Surfing.

Planet College offers vast choices for learning. Here's an example.


Surfing:
How To Surf A Wave In One Day*

Surfing is just one of the many, many learning opportunities available on Planet College. For those students who don't happen to have a nearby ocean or any surfing class there is still much to be learned from this video.

Watch it again carefully. The instructor presents himself clearly as capable, capable of being the instructor for this course. He also states confidently that you can learn this sport. He then emphasizes preparation, essential to success in any class. Primarily preparation begins with the proper equipment. He also illustrates the proper approach, surveying the area where the skill will be accomplished, in this case the ocean. The instructor emphasizes throughout his course your safety. He illustrates step by step the basic steps, positioning, movements and approach. He has divided the subject into small doable steps. At each step he re-emphasizes the basics.
From this series of videos an average student could probably with some determination and of course, a surfboard, wetsuit and ocean, learn to surf.

An average student could also learn from this series something else. A student could learn an effective means to approach and learn any basic subject. Go over again this instructors approach. He introduces himself and establishes his authority to be the instructor. He emphasizes safety and proper equipment. He presents the subject in simple basic steps. He reviews what has been learned at the beginning of each new lesson. He encourages the learner frequently and presents each lesson confidently. He also presents the benefits of having learned to surf for the potential student.

This basically is an effective means to teach most introductory subjects. If you have had trouble accomplishing or completing any basic course it is likely that at least some of the components listed here have been missing.

Think back to that class you finally dropped because you just couldn't 'get it.' Review it carefully. Assuming you made a sincere effort you may recall the instructor did not adequately present the subject. At least not for you.

Most instructors teach subjects they care about and are sincerely interested in their student's success. Most but not all. Occasionally, as you have seen, an instructor may have been a little sloppy, unprepared, remote, obscure or disinterested. At other times instructors are "plugged in" as last minute replacements. Frustrating as this situation can be it need not be lethal.

Reviewing this video and the presentation of the subject you now understand the basics of passing a class. When you find you are a 'little lost' in some course you really need to pass it may be that some of the basic elements outlined here are missing or under emphasized. Now that you know what it takes to present a subject effectively you can ask for help in the unclear areas. If not from the instructor perhaps from the tutoring center or even someone in your building who has passed this same course.

There is nothing more dreadful than that vague lost feeling which starts to creep up a few weeks into the term. Perhaps these basic steps might help you surf the treacherous seas of Planet College toward your graduation.

*This video was found on videojugg, 11/16/2010 and may be subject to copyright restrictions.